At last I saw a chance of first-class cover, for with Archie's coat and cap I made a very good appearance as a movie-merchant.

Two waves had gone over the top, and the cinema-men, working like beavers, had filmed the lot.

But there was still a fair amount of troops to play with, and I determined to tangle up that outfit so that the fellows who were after me would have better things to think about.
My advantage was that I knew how to command men.

I could see that my opposite number with the megaphone was helpless, for the mistake which had swept my man into a shell-hole had reduced him to impotence.

The troops seemed to be mainly in charge of N.C.O.s (I could imagine that the officers would try to shirk this business), and an N.C.O.is the most literal creature on earth.